Breadcrumbs

Networking

Contacting people you know to find job leads is the most effective way to find a job. Most people find a job through people they know or through friends and family.

Your network of job contacts is bigger than you think. Putting together a list of your contacts will show you how many people you already know who can help you find a job. This list should include:

People you’ve worked with

People you’ve volunteered with

People you went to school with

Teachers

Clergy

Doctors and dentists

Landlords

Salespeople and store owners

Customers

Bankers

Police officers

Postal workers

Relatives and neighbors

Again, these are not necessarily people in your occupation or people you know well, just people you've met who may be willing to give you some helpful information. Anyone, no matter what their status, may be a source of a referral or a lead that results in your next job. A good contact is anyone who is able to:

Offer you a job;

Tell you of a job opening;

Refer you to somebody who can arrange an interview or read your resume;

Give you the name of somebody who can do any of the above;

Give you the name of somebody who can give you the name of someone else who can do any of the above.

You know many more people than you realize. They have ideas about lots of different kinds of jobs and companies, and you might be interested in learning more about some of them. They may also be able to refer you to their acquaintances who know about job possibilities.